ROBERT MORALES on BOXING: Guerrero ready to overcome more adversity

When good things happen to guys like Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero, you have to smile.

Guerrero is the fighter who went through a highly publicized — and very scary — ordeal when his wife Casey was diagnosed with leukemia in 2007. A 2010 bone marrow transplant eventually put her into remission, but not before her husband at one point gave up a world-title belt to help care for her.

With a fighting spirit that would have made his wife proud, Guerrero eventually moved up to welterweight after starting his career at featherweight and beat up former welterweight champion Andre Berto over 12 rounds in a vicious bout in November in Ontario.

That's quite a story, one that got bigger and better this week when it was announced that Guerrero will be challenging Floyd Mayweather Jr. for his welterweight championship May 4 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on Showtime pay-per-view).

Excuse Guerrero if he's just a bit over the moon about the best opportunity of what so far has been a fine career.

"I'm just excited that I finally got the fight that I wanted," he said during a telephone interview Thursday night. "I've always been interested in fighting the best fighters in the world throughout my career, all the way from featherweight (126 pounds) to 135 (lightweight). Then as soon as I moved up to 147 (welterweight), I earned the right to be in this fight."

That, he did.

"It defines my legacy in boxing," Guerrero said. "Everything I've been through, world championships, all the ups and downs in boxing, Mayweather being the best fighter pound-for-pound; he's going to go down probably — besides (Muhammad) Ali — as the best fighter ever in boxing. So being able to get in the ring and dethrone him and give him his first loss, it's really a blessing to be able to do that."

But does Guerrero have a real chance of winning this fight? His promoter, Richard Schaefer, is of the mind he does. Apparently, many of the reporters Schaefer has spoken to this week also believe Guerrero can win.

"Over the past two days I talked to many media members, and there is not one who has told me that Guerrero has no chance," Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, told us Thursday afternoon. "To the contrary. I believe more have said Mayweather is going to lose this fight than those who have said he is going to win this fight.

"They think Mayweather is in trouble."

Schaefer explained the reasoning.

"I think a lot of people are looking at the same facts," he said. "He (Guerrero) is younger, has a hell of a chin, is very crafty, he's coming off his biggest victory. He has the momentum behind him, the youth behind him, and with his story outside the ring, the way he walked away from his belt because of his wife, he believes he will have America behind him."

Well, most of America, anyway. You see, even though Mayweather has become the biggest pay-per-view draw in boxing, many of those who buy the feeds for his fights are probably hopeful of seeing him lose.

The feeling here is Guerrero is indeed going to be a live underdog in this one. He showed during his fight with Berto that he is as tough as they come, as that was a nasty fight. And it was only Guerrero's second at welterweight, but one would not have known that the way he toiled that night at Citizen's Business Bank Arena.

"Robert Guerrero is a champion," said Mayweather, who stunned the boxing world this week when he signed a long-term contract with Showtime after having fought on HBO his entire career. "For this guy to be mentioned with some of the top fighters in today's time, he must have done something right or correct in his career.

"This is a guy who I know I can't overlook; I have to push myself to the limit. I have to dedicate myself and I have to do what it takes to stay at the top.

"Guerrero is a very aggressive fighter. I am starting to train. As a matter of fact, this week I was out on the basketball court with some young kids working on my cardio. I have to build my cardio up to fight Guerrero."

Mayweather's cardio has never been an issue. But he will be 36 on Sunday and Guerrero, just 29, is relentless in the ring. Guerrero is also a left-hander, and right-handers really dislike southpaws.

Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs) suggested Mayweather fans or anyone else thinking he has no chance to beat the pound-for-pound king are in for a rude awakening.

"All I've gotta say is, just pick your jaw up off the ground," Guerrero said. "One thing they don't understand is I'm a big believer in Jesus Christ, and that's what carries me through everything. People are going to feel that presence when I step into the ring, and they're going to be shocked.

"They're not going to be able to understand what happened when I go out there and beat Floyd Mayweather."

If that happens, many of those people will likely be smiling along with Guerrero.

Smith credits Mayweather with resurrecting his career

If you think hard enough, the name Ishe Smith brings to mind him competing in the first season of "The Contender," the reality series that began in 2005 and culminated in 2008. He won his first bout, but was then beaten by eventual champion Sergio Mora.

Eight years later, in his 13 th as a pro, Smith will finally be getting his first world-title shot when he challenges Cornelius "K9" Bundrage for his junior middleweight belt tonight at Masonic Temple in Detroit (on Showtime). He should therefore not be blamed for his praise of his promoter, Floyd Mayweather Jr., who helped Smith resurrect his career.

"I owe a lot to Floyd," Smith, 34, said of the man formerly known as "Pretty Boy" but currently known as "Money." "When he was incarcerated, he sent me a letter telling me to hold it down, he was going to take care of me and not let me down. Now here I am fighting for a world title."

Mayweather did two months in jail for domestic violence beginning last June.

"I need to thank Floyd for everything he's done for me." said Smith, whose career was dying before he hooked up with Mayweather in April 2012; he sparred with Mayweather for Mayweather's fight with Miguel Cotto on May 5; Mayweather in turn got Smith his first fight in 18 months that took place the night before, May 4, against Ayi Bruce.

"I've had a lot of different promoters in my 13 years as a professional, and no one has treated me the way he does," Smith said.

It doesn't figure to be easy for Smith (24-5, 11 KOs) to win this belt.

While Smith is a Las Vegas native, Bundrage (32-4, 19 KOs) will be fighting in his hometown. Plus, he seems perturbed by the hoopla brought on by Mayweather Promotions being in the house. He said as much during Thursday's final news conference.

"This cat (Smith) right here, the last time he came to Detroit, he was scared to death," Bundrage said, alluding to an earlier news conference. "I could see a fear in him. He went home and started tweeting. He's a Facebook gangster and now he comes back to my city with 'The Money Team' and all of a sudden he's hard.

"I bark outside the ring, but I bite inside the ring. They can't fight for him. I'll give him the business, and hopefully his boss (Mayweather) will step up."

Mayweather is defending his welterweight belt against Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero on May 4.

Interestingly, Bundrage, 39, competed in the second season of "The Contender." He lost in the semifinals.

Etc.

The super bantamweight title unification bout between Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeuax will take place April 13 at Radio City Music Hall (on HBO). That fight was made because a Donaire-Abner Mares match could not be. Rigondeaux's manager, Gary Hyde, started the trash talk early. "I think Nonito's confidence must have been boosted by his 2012 victories," he said, alluding to Donaire being named Fighter of the Year. "But when he feels Rigo's power, from angles he has never been hit from, the doubts which have haunted him every time he hears Rigo's name will be there again. But it will be too late to avoid Rigo then." Donaire is 31-1 with 20 knockouts. Rigondeaux, a Cuban defector, is just 11-0 with eight knockouts, but is considered one of the all-time great amateurs. ... Vyacheslav Glazkov (14-0, 10 KOs) of the Ukraine will take on Malik Scott (35-0, 12 KOs) of Philadelphia in the heavyweight main event tonight at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, N.Y. (on NBC Sports Network). ... Also upcoming, Billy Dib (35-1, 21 KOs) of Australia will defend his featherweight title against Evgeny Gradovich (15-0, 8 KOs) of Russia on Friday from Mashantucket, Conn. (on ESPN2). ... Next Saturday, Richard Abril (17-3-1, 8 KOs) of Miami and Sharif Bogere (23-0, 15 KOs) of Uganda will tangle for a vacant lightweight title at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (on Showtime).